Zahn's aggressiveness paying dividends for sixth-ranked Wildcats

Having been on varsity since he was a freshman, Idalou senior center Alan Zahn has been on every step of the Wildcats’ journey through three trips to the state basketball tournament and the 2011 state crown.

That was mostly as a role player, however, sometimes off the bench and sometimes in the starting lineup, but rarely the go-to scoring threat.

Now, as a senior and one of the few left who has that extensive postseason experience, things are changing for the 6-foot-9 Zahn as the Wildcats lean upon him to be as much of an aggressor offensively as he has been defensively. And, finally, it’s starting to pay off.

“We’ve been on him to shoot the ball every time he gets it, and he’s started to do that,” Idalou head coach Tyler Helms said. “He’s started to be more aggressive on offense like we need him to.”

The results are plain to see — 20 points in a win over Roosevelt on Tuesday, followed by a 34-point, 19-rebound, seven-block performance in a victory over Slaton three days later.

Zahn’s emergence this past week earn him the honor as the Happy State Bank/Avalanche-Journal Male Athlete of the Week.

It’s also been a huge boost to an Idalou team that lost most of the key components from its three-year state tournament run but has still maintained its level of play, going 24-3 and 6-0 on the year to earn the No. 6 ranking by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches.

The soft-spoken Zahn says his improvement has been as much about the mental side of the game as it has been maturing physically.

“Just focusing on the game, probably focusing more on rebounding,” Zahn said. “Then the scoring will come with it. I’m just trying to be a leader and help the younger guys, because we know we can make it back to where we want to go.”

The focus on rebounding left him open against Slaton for numerous put-backs and second-shot opportunities, where Helms said Zahn got most of his points that night. But Helms said Zahn’s development has gone past just becoming a scoring threat and has allowed the Wildcats to run a big portion of their offense through him.

“One of the biggest things with him is he’s so skilled and does so many of the little things normal big kids aren’t able to do,” Helms said. “He passes the ball so well. Anytime he’s doubled, he knows where to throw it and has a lot more confidence going for him. We know he’s not going to force things. He’s going to make the right decision. He’s not the type of kid that if you throw it in to him, you’re not going to get it back. He makes the right play.”

It also makes his a tough defensive matchup, leaving teammates open if opponents decide to double him down low, or leaving himself open for baskets against single coverage.

Zahn, however, says he still has a lot of room for improvement and is confident the Wildcats have yet to play their best basketball of the season.

“I’m still trying to be even more aggressive,” Zahn said. “I definitely could use some touch-up to my game, too, being more talkative on defense and knowing what the offense we’re playing against is trying to get accomplished.”